A little bit, about me.

Something I have come to realize as I have been writing this blog, is that you probably don't have a sense of who I am. Well my name is Annette, and I am 24 years old, born and raised in Guam. We moved to Washington in 2001, up until then, I had never been on a plane. I was 15 years old. I am the eldest of 5 kids, and have been married to my husband Brad for 2 years, but we have been together for 5 years. It will be 6 this year, he is currently deployed. But is due home sometime in the next 3 weeks. Yes, it is hard, but we have been through it before. We have no children, but I understand to an extent about parenting, to know that I am not ready for that responsibility now.

I joined the Army National Guard in 2007, and before I went to boot camp; I had never ran 2 miles in my entire life. My fitness history is very brief up until that time. I was always slender when I lived in Guam, but the move out here to Washington changed that; I was not as active and slowly my slender 85lb body started expand over the 3 years I had left in High School. When I graduated in 2005, I was about 110-115lbs. That's right, count them, that is an approximate weight gain of 25-30lbs since the move.

But still, I was not unhappy with my body. When I met Brad in 2006 I was 120lbs so that means I gained a total of 35lbs since the move. Brad and I fell in love, and I left for boot camp at the end of 2007. At the end of 10 weeks; I was 100lbs and was very happy with my weight, and my body. But then 4 months later Brad and my mother deployed to Iraq in 2008 and I with all the stress and responsibility I now had on my shoulders. I slowly gained all the weight back, and more.

I hadn't checked my weight in probably a year or two. I tried working out with what I could remember from boot camp, and that seemed to work for a while. But I was not changing my diet, and at the time I really didn't understand yet, how important diet is to losing weight. Having failed, to lose weight on my own. I reverted back to food. It was not until November of 2010, did I weigh myself again.

The only reason I did, was because I had joined a Gym and the personal trainer I was working with told me "We have to know where to start, in order to begin." When I stepped on the scale I was 148lbs! That may not sound like much to some of you taller people, but if you have not guessed yet. I am short! I am 4'11 = 59 inches tall, that was the point when I decided to make a change. A lifestyle change, for myself. If you were total up the weight that is 63lbs gained since the move, and 48lbs gained since boot camp.

I started to work out 5 days a week, and changed my diet slowly. Starting with no fast food, and then progressed to no processed food, from white bread to whole grain bread, pasta, rice and then no pork or beef. Like I said in one of my previous blogs, it is not a diet, you are eating healthy. Once you start making a change, you will slowly realize you don't need these foods anymore. And discover that food is fuel for your body. Within in the first month of the workout and diet change I dropped 20lbs it was amazing.

As of right now I weigh 120lbs, now it's just about working through the plateau. I have been trying new exercises, and I am feeling it. The main purpose of me telling you this story is I want some people to realize, you have to make the choice to lose weight, and you have to do it for yourself and no one else. You have to be mentally ready for what this change requires and the will to see it through, but having support is a good way to keep you on track.

At the end of the day it really is not about the weight, it is about being healthy. I hope this gives you an idea, of the person; I am. And I hope you never give up on your fitness goals.